'We've got to continue like this'

Prior to Tuesday evening, Phil Parkes was the last West Ham United goalkeeper to keep four successive clean sheets in the top flight. Adrian is in esteemed company.

It has been little more than seven months since the 27-year-old signed for the Hammers and yet the Spanish stopper is already making waves, not to mention saves, in Claret and Blue.

The former Betis man was at his instinctive and reliable best in the Barclays Premier League against Norwich City, as Gary Hooper, Robert Snodgrass and Alex Tettey were each denied by the Hammers' No13.

Having not had a solitary save to make against Swansea City last time out at the Boleyn Ground, this was a well-earned clean sheet and one that rightly fetched a man-of-the-match award too.

Speaking exclusively to whufc.com after the 2-0 success, Adrian explained that his faith in those around him, both on the pitch and the training ground, is largely responsible for his fine performances of late.

He said: "It's only my job! It's my job to stop everything and Tuesday was a great day, because that's another clean sheet. Four in a row is really, really difficult in the Premier League and I am really happy. We have to keep going in this direction.

"As a goalkeeper, when you have confidence, confidence in the manager and in the other players, you are happy on the pitch. Sometimes I have to help my teammates and other times, not too much, but on Tuesday I made three or four saves to help the team.

"It's really, really amazing. The clean sheets are important for the team and it's even more important for me, because I'm the goalkeeper.

"I work every day with Marge [Martyn Margetson, goalkeeping coach], Jussi [Jaaskelainen], with Rafa [Raphael Spiegel], with Hendo [Stephen Henderson] on the training ground for that and this is my job."

Adrian is now determined to ensure that the Hammers consolidate upon their return from warm-weather training in Dubai, with Southampton the visitors to the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 22 February.

The Hammers custodian is confident that he and his colleagues will return refreshed from their stint in the sun and primed to attack the season's final 12 fixtures.

"We've got to continue like this," he added. "Now we've got a week off, with no game this weekend, and then it's Southampton. This is a great win because all the teams are really tight together and three more points are really important.

"It's really important to get some rest because every so often you need to relax, switch off and come back stronger.

"For me, the heat's not a problem, because in Seville, it's really, really hot. It's nice, because we have some training, but it will be more relaxed.

"We have another 12 matches to play and we need to stay in this position and away from the relegation places."

Meanwhile, Adrian's stock continues to rise among the Hammers faithful, with the 'keeper very much in awe of the fans too.

He explained: "I gave my gloves to a couple of young fans, because I think the fans are the most important people in football. The West Ham fans, for me, they're the best in the country, because every time, at home and away, they support us very, very much."